Ula Cafe

I’m a fan of cafes. I love hunting through the various neighborhoods of Boston looking for those spots that only locals know about. It’s great because each café is representative of the neighborhood it is in. Last week, Boston’s Cool Spots blog came up in a conversation with a friend. She asked me if I had heard of Ula Café, a small café tucked away in Jamaica Plain. I had not.
“It’s on Amory Street, near the Stony Brook T stop,” my friend explained.
We drove down Amory and she pointed out an old brewery that had been converted into store fronts and space for rent. I went back to investigate further the next day.

Opened in June of 2007, Ula Café strives to create a space where individuals can interact with the Jamaica Plain community and eat good food. The café serves standards like coffee and tea, as well as sandwiches and soups. The highlight, however, is the daily fresh-baked pastries and breads.

The café takes advantage of its space with exposed brick walls and rubbed steel countertops covered with fresh baked goods. Polished wooden benches and tables line walls and recycled metal chairs are placed at each table. The place has an airy feel to it due to strategically hung track lighting and sconces. There are also large windows that let in plenty of natural light. Ceiling fans, in the same style as the metal chairs keep a cool breeze moving through the café.

The walls are decorated with artwork, currently by Joelle Voogt. On one wall, opposite the cash register, placards display the various types of food Ula offers from specialty sandwiches like the Sweet Potato Vegetarian to their season Quickbreads and baking powder biscuits.

Amanda Smith, a student at the Museum School and resident of JP, recently discovered Ula by accident. “I got off at Stony Brook thinking it was Green Street and happened to wonder in,” she explained. “I’ve been coming back because it’s a great place to study, though sometimes it can get crowded.”

Smith is right, while I sat in the café, taking using their free wifi, enjoying fresh-squeezed orange juice and a biscuit with raspberry jam, several cyclists came in to order Loose Leaf iced tea. The commotion, however, is welcomed because it means Ula is succeeding in its conviction to bring the community together.

Compared to Flamepoeira, Ula is less intimate. I like that the café has fresh-baked goods and real utensils. I’m also a fan of the artwork and funky design of the place, but I never felt a desire to hang out longer than it took me to finish my food. There is a feeling that, even though Ula offers nice amenities like free wifi, it’s more of a place to pick up a coffee and a sandwich and keep moving.

To get to Ula Café, take the Orange Line to Stony Brook, cross the street and walk south for half a block. The Brewery Complex will be on your right, and Ula is tucked in the corner

Arnold Arboretum

Jamaica Plain is one of those neighborhoods of Boston that I seem to spend more time driving through instead of hanging out in. I need to change that. JP has tons to offer, like the Arnold Arboretum. A part of the Emerald Necklace, the Arboretum is a 265-acre landscape with 15,000 different types of trees, shrubs and vines collected from around the world.


Opened in 1872, the Arboretum is managed through a partnership between the City of Boston and Harvard University. There are more stats about how many people visit the Arboretum and when it is in peak season, but you find that info on their website in the links section. On a day like today, 70 degrees and sunny, it's all about getting outside.

Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden

I spent the bulk of my time at the Arboretum in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden. From the front gate, the Linden Path is the first on the right. A meandering five minute walk to the Leventritt Garden, the gravel path wonders past blooming trees and shrubs, almost preparing you for the garden.
The garden itself, is an expanse of plush grass and vibrant colors, pinks, yellows, and whites. Visitors enjoy blends of exotic sharp, sweet, and bitter scents.

Hunnewell Visitor Center

On my way back, I stopped at the Hunnewell Visitor Center. According to Maggie Redfern, a worker at the visitor center, this weekend isn't even one of their best. "On May 10th, we'er having 'Lilac Sunday,'" she said. "Lilac Sunday is our big open. We'll have 500 guests in the visitor center, which is a small portion of visitors to the park."


Redfern suggests taking one of the free tours that is offered on Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m., Fridays at 6 p.m., Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. "It's cool to take the tour a few times through the summer because things bloom during different seasons," said Redfern. "What blooms in the spring isn't the same as what blooms in the late summer or fall." The Arboretum is free of charge, but always welcomes donations. It is open year-round, but tend to be the most packed from their May 10th "Lilac Sunday" event through Memorial Day weekend.

On a nice day, pack a picnic lunch and a blanket. Take the time and make a day of the Arboretum because it has much to offer as a haven of nature in the middle of the city.